Heartfelt Competition
by lackingvirtuoso
Summary: After years of war and famine, Yao Wang, better known as China, was ready to take a rest and settle down with his Asian family: Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and he.  He never did expect the one he had competed with for so long to come into his life...
1. Chapter 1

_Heartfelt Competition  
><span>Chapter One<span>  
><em>

* * *

><p>After years and years of war, famine, and destruction, Yao Wang, better known as China, was ready to take a rest and settle down with his Asian family: Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and he. Yao acted as an older brother to the four, taking care of them under one roof. He never did imagine who would arrive in their lives some time later...Someone who he had competed with for so long, in the worst of condition.<p>

* * *

><p>"Hyong, wake up! Mei and Kiku already made breakfast for all of us!" Yao woke up to the voice of Yong Soo, rubbing his eyes groggily and combing a few wisps of hair back with his hand. "It's not like you to sleep in so late, da-ze!" His tone changed to one of sarcasm, "Were you telling all of your deepest secrets to your Panda?"<p>

"Shut up, aru! You should work hard like them instead of being annoying! Aiyah! I didn't realize it was this late!" Acting like a normal family, going to school and managing the house hadn't seemed like such difficult tasks when Yao had made the decision to do so. He leaped up and glanced down at Yong Soo,

"Aren't you ready for school yet? And why is your honbak wrinkled, aru? Is all of your assigned work done, aru? Have you combed your hair, aru?"

Instantly Yong Soo realized that Yao was no longer sleepy; He was in his "picky-older-brother" mode and that certainly wasn't good.

"I-I'll fix it now, okay? Please just come down for breakfast, da-ze!" Yao nodded and turned to get himself ready. Was he really that intimidating?

Ten minutes later, he made his way to the dining room where most of his younger siblings had already finished their meal. Kiku smiled kindly and gestured to a place setting with chopsticks on the kotatsu. "China-san, I am just heating your food because it became cold. You have to go to work soon, right? The bicycle is-" He was interrupted by Yao leaping on him.

"You look so cute, aru!"

Hong and Mei only shook their heads. "I told him not to wear the Japanese housewife clothes, but did he listen? No."

"Get off of him, China! You're acting like a doting parent!" Hearing those words, Kiku pushed Yao away with all of his strength, embarrassed beyond belief. He then went and brought a bowl full of noodles and presented it to his brother. Seeing the Chinese boy's pouting face, Kiku's brow furrowed.

"I'm almost the same age as you, and even though we may have settled down, all of us are still nations! I beg you to stop treating me like a child!" It was strange to hear the usually calm person speak almost...angrily?

"Well, time to go! I want to see what we will be drawing with Sensei in Art Class!" Yong Soo ran into the room, honbak fixed and bag in hand. Mei, Hong, and Kiku followed his example, the last one throwing his apron behind him. Yao was left alone, wondering what exactly he had done wrong. Sighing, he finished his noodles, then went out after locking the doors to his home.

As Yao rode his bicycle to the clinic he worked at, he noticed a newspaper with a strange headline being marketed. "Jewel Of The British Crown Rebelling" it read, with images of the British government trying to manage whichever country it was. He racked his brain for a moment; Which country had Britain been boasting about a few decades ago? Was it the Philippines? No. America? Of course not. Suddenly, the name hit him just as he parked his bike in front of his workplace.

India. The name left a bad taste in his mouth.

Why would such a news story be in a Chinese newspaper? He ignored any thought about it as he greeted his coworkers at the clinic. He noticed another one of the newspapers, held in the hands of an old man. Already, there was a waiting list for about fifteen patients, so he got to work. "Hello, I am Doctor Wang, and how may I be of service to you today, aru?" His first patient was a young boy, only four years old or so. The child looked so much like Kiku with his innocent smile-If only the real one would grin like him.

* * *

><p>At eight in the evening, Yao trudged out of the clinic, only to be soaked by a sudden downpour. While pedaling home on the quiet streets, he couldn't help but replay Kiku's words in his mind. Yes, he knew they were still nations, but why would they take part in the squabbles of other nations now that World War Two was over and they were a happy family. Why not live like normal citizens until they actually needed to come out of their shell? Nearing his home, he noticed the silhouette of Kiku in one window, hunched over with a book. Always the studious one, he fondly thought. What were the other three doing? Mei, hopefully, along with Hong, would be able to manage troublesome Yong Soo.<p>

With eyes almost closed from sleepiness and chilled to the bone, he walked like some sort of zombie that America had once mentioned to the front door. Yao knocked lightly on the wood, barely noticing Mei's gasp at seeing his condition, Hong restraining Yong Soo from pouncing on him in sympathy. What he did notice though, was Kiku's absence as a towel was thrown upon him. "I knew they were overworking you! Yao Wang, what have you gotten yourself into?" His younger sister's frenzied cries only made Yao feel even more tired.

"Please, aru, can I just sleep aru?" So...tired...aru... Out of his blurry sight, he saw Kiku hurrying down from the top of the stairs and to the front door. "Kiku, where are you going?" Yao trailed off sleepily.

"I heard a knock at the door. It would be rude to keep anyone waiting at the door in such weather-What happened to you, Ani?" An expression of worry crossed his cute face. Finally he notices, China thought bitterly, sitting up to get a better view as Kiku opened the door. "Hello?" He called out to the seemingly empty pouring rain. "Is there anyone here?" Yao rose and walked to stand behind Kiku. "Kami!" Kiku was looking down at an almost lifeless figure, a girl who looked to be the same age as China, with the same hair color and loose braid thrown over her right shoulder like his ponytail. Countless scars marred her olive colored skin, dirt coating her clothes and face.

For the second time in one day, the word he so despised was mentioned. "India! Are you all right?" Yao couldn't help but feel jealous as Kiku tried to carry the so-called India. "You're so light! What happened to you, India?" The same phrase that had been uttered to Yao was endearingly said to the girl.  
>"Japan...Namaste to you and China..." A few words were spoken in her frail voice before she lost consciousness.<p>

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><p><em>Hello and thank you for reading this fanfiction story. ~Kolkolkol~<em>

hyong_-older brother (korean)  
><em>honbak-_traditional korean clothing, like a kimono  
><em>ani-_older brother (japanese) - alternative is onee-sa  
><em>namaste-_hello (hindi)  
><em>

_I apologize for any disregard towards Chinese history-This story focuses mostly on Indian history (and of course, Kiku, Yao, and India). Does anyone have a suggestion for India's human name? _Please tell me in a review! _  
><em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Heartfelt Competition  
><span>Chapter Two<span>_

* * *

><p><em>India and Japan... They had always been so close. After Kiku had left him the first time, India welcomed him into her heart and he accepted her as an older sister. Yao felt second-best, like the loser of some sort of competition-And then began their rivalry. He and India would squabble over every single thing, from which culture was older and richer to their citizens education. Kiku always seemed to side with her, and the action slowly tore into Yao's heart. Suddenly, though, India disappeared from his life, sometime in the eighteen hundreds. But his relationship with his younger brother was never healed...<em>

* * *

><p>Yao awoke the next morning to see the beginning of dawn. <em>I must have woken up much earlier.<em> He cleaned and dressed himself a bit slower than yesterday and made his way to his younger siblings' rooms to wake them up. Hong and Mei shared a room closest to him, so he leaned his head in, "Wake up, aru! It's morning!" Next, he knocked on Yong Soo's door, feeling too lazy to go in and try to wake him up.

That was strange-Kiku's door was open! Usually, to have more privacy, the Japanese boy would make sure to shut and lock it. Yao uncertainly stepped in, expecting to be greeted with a glare. Surprisingly, it was empty! "Kiku, where are you, aru? Hello, aru?" Where could he have gone?

Making his way downstairs, Yao did not expect to hear soft laughing coming from the kitchen. He tilted his head; Was he just hearing things? The laughs had stopped, but he could hear Kiku's. Yao tiptoed into the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible. India was there, along with Kiku, cooking something on the stove. Both of their backs were faced towards him, but he could hear the smile in Kiku's voice. "Oh, hello China!" India had spun around, carrying a plate. "I was making _pua_ with Japan! Would you like some?"

What she was wearing... There was a pang in his heart as he saw India wearing one of Kiku's favorite kimonos. "J-just a little, aru." She gave him what looked like a small pancake on a plate. "Thank you, aru." Yao wanted to say more, but at that moment, the three other members of his family came downstairs.

"_Ohayo,_ you three! India made some traditional food from her home for us, so don't you dare complain!" The genuine smile on his face looked almost out of place. Yao sat down at the kotatsu and took a bite of the food. It tasted much better than America and Canada's pancake things, drenched in syrup and entirely unhealthy-But he would never admit that to her.

"This is rather good," Mei offered a distant smile to India. Hong only nodded.

"Totally, da-ze! But India, what should we call you? Are you as old as China?" Yao sighed at the same time as India. Yong Soo had brought up a touchy subject.

India put a hand to her chin, "I'm older than you, South Korea! In my main language, you would call me _didi_. Is that alright?" Yao felt glad she hadn't brought up each country's history. "But my culture is older than China's!"

"Of course not! How could it be? Our culture is deep and fascinating!" Yao dropped his plate on the table angrily.

"And ours isn't? We have the festival of lights, _Diwali, _and colors, _Holi,_ and our art is far more unique!" India put her face in front of Yao's.

"Never! Are you forgetting about the amazing Chinese New Year celebrations? And you only pollute when you have that weird color festival! Why on Earth would you throw colored powder on others!"

"It's exciting for my people and it makes them happy! What would you know about anything like that? You censor social networking sites!"

"My government isn't corrupt, and I have less poverty! How will you reply to that?" India was about to fire back an equally fierce response, but Kiku tapped her on the shoulder. She looked back softly at him then muttered some curse under her breath.

"If I must, Japan. I suppose we both might have gotten a bit...carried away. I apologize if I offended you or any part of your country and its culture." She turned away and focused on finishing her breakfast. "But, on another note, where should I go today? I don't want to impose on any of you."

"Mei, Hong, Yong Soo, and I are all students. Onee-san works at a clinic." Kiku helpfully supplied an answer.

India's eyes widened. "Really? I'm an expert when it comes to homeopathic medicines! I could help him there!"

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, India walked beside Yao on their way to the clinic. For a person who said she detested his culture, she seemed excited to see Beijing. With every little shop, she would peer into the shop display, 'ooh-ing' at the new things. "I must admit, even though I don't want to, this city is interesting."<p>

"Really? I never expected to hear that coming from you, India." He glanced sideways at her meaning to ask the question that was burning in his mind. As they neared the clinic, though, his courage faltered. "Do you have a human name? I don't believe going in there and saying 'India' is your name would be the best idea."

"Lakshmi Yadav. Good enough?" Before Yao could reply, she added, "Assistant of Doctor Yao Wang, transfer student studying in China."

"It's decent. Now, let's go in." Yao dreaded the moment in which he would have to introduce her to his colleagues. He opened the door, already nervous about what to say to his steadily approaching co-worker.

"Namaste, sir, I am Lakshmi Yadav, here as a transfer student from India. I'm here to assist and learn from Doctor Wang. I hope you will accept me at this workplace." The man smiled at her kindly and winked at Yao (he had no idea why) and then went off to do his duties. A tiny doll hit her on the leg, bouncing onto the ground. A child looked at her with shamed eyes and began to apologize, causing India to chuckle. She bent down to retrieve the doll and gave it to the little girl. "It's okay, dear. Why are you here?"

"My _Nǎinai_ is sick!" India looked at Yao questioningly. In explanation, he whispered, "_Grandmother._"

"Oh, that's awful! I hope we can help! I'm Doctor Yadav. What kind of illness does she have?"

The girl pouted. "A very very sore throat! My _Nǎinai_ doesn't wanna use any of those bad medicines from the store. She wants a natural thing, but I don't know where we can find that kind of medicine! I don't want her to get too sick and die!" India laughed a bit under her breath, knowing that not many died from a sore throat.

"Don't worry! I promise I'll be able to help!" Yao, deciding the exchange had gone on for too long, dragged her away and through a door leading to his room. "What? Is sympathy not normal here?"

"Damn it, India, why are you here? Couldn't you have stayed in your home?" Finally, out of frustration, he was able to ask the question he had been holding within. She shook her head.

"China, I didn't live in my own house; I escaped from Britain's home. My own home, though, is nearly destroyed because of war." She raised an eyebrow, "And why would I miss an opportunity to see my little brother, Japan?"

"How can you get along with him so well? Why does he accept you as a sibling? You don't even look like him!" Without meaning to, Yao blurted out the beginnings of a rant and then immediately covered his mouth.

"I know that you're jealous. I can tell by the way you look at him sadly, wound up in your thoughts." _She's far too observant... _"If you would let me, I could help you get closer to him-But that would mean that you would have to accept me as if I'm part of your family until I must leave. Can you accept that?" Yao found himself nodding.

"Yes." Anything to get closer with his brother.

India gave a full-blown smile. "We start this evening, my student. Now, why don't we get back to our job?"

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading. I apologize if any of the characters are out of character (OoC). <em>

_pua-_Indian pancake, usually with raisins inside_  
>ohayo-<em>Japanese for 'good morning'  
><em>didi-<em>Hindi for 'older sister'  
><em>Diwali-<em>Indian festival of lights; Like the American Fourth of July, but with many more firecrackers, etc.  
><em>Holi-<em>Indian festival of colors; Friends and families celebrate by playing with colored powders_  
>Nǎinai-<em>Chinese for 'grandma'

_Feedback? Any issues? Please review._


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